Katharine McPhee shades Taylor Hicks in epic tweet

Twelve years after Katharine McPhee lost the American Idol title to Taylor Hicks, she has exacted hilarious revenge — while also encouraging her fans, aka the “Kat Pack,” to become involved, conscientious citizens.

“Voting matters. Register here,” McPhee urged, posting the hashtag “#midterms2018” and a photo of her next to the triumphant Soul Patroller on Season 5’s finale night in front of 36 million viewers.

On Idol’s all-time top-rated season, Hicks pulled off what many consider one of the biggest upsets in the series’ history, when he beat out seemingly more commercial contenders like the polished McPhee, who placed second, and fan-favorite rocker Chris Daughtry, who came in fourth. This year, Hicks dropped the bombshell that the contestants supposedly had inside, advance knowledge of the show’s elimination-night results — a claim Daughtry vehemently denied during a recent Yahoo Entertainment interview.

McPhee presumably was just having some good fun digging up this old Idol rivalry of the mid-aughts. She’s gone on to enjoy a busy acting career in CBS’s Scorpion and Broadway’s Waitress (and, um, NBC’s Smash — that’s a little clapback shade for the angry Hicks fans). Daughtry is one of the most successful Idol alumni of all time. And Hicks hasn’t done too poorly for himself either: A financially savvy entrepreneur, he landed on Forbes’s Top 10 American Idol Earners list (ranking above Jennifer Hudson and Kellie Pickler!) for 2013; was the first Idol to headline a Las Vegas residency; co-owns a few restaurants in his home city of Birmingham, Ala.; and currently hosts the food/travel program State Plate.

The jocular Hicks got the last laugh, however, when he responded to Kat’s jab. “You’re right, voting DOES matter! But you’re a little late to the party, Kat,” he tweeted, while linking to a pro-voter-registration PSA video he posted on his own Facebook page… five months ago.

You win again, Taylor!

But, whether you’re a member of the Kat Pack or the Soul Patrol, there’s obviously one thing we all can agree on: Rocking the vote is important! Go here to register now.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

• ‘Smash’-ing reunion! Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty together again at Broadway’s ‘Waitress’

• First Person: My ‘American Idol’ experience, by Taylor Hicks

• Chris Daughtry addresses ‘American Idol’ rumors, ‘Rock Star: INXS’ past

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